Mine Shergin in the city of Yakutsk is a unique monument of Russian history and science. Plain log house with a wooden roof is located in the old part of the city at the intersection of two streets of Kulakovsky and Yaroslavl, in the courtyard of the building previously belonged to a Real school.

The depth of the mine is 116, 6 M. Shergin shaft fixed by continuous felling of larch logs, starting from the mouth and to a depth of 52 m. the exact same support is at a depth of from 73 to 79 m.

Here for the first time on earth held a negative measurement of temperature of rocks on the multi-meter depth. The Shergin shaft is considered to be the source of the actual instrumental data that confirm and prove the existence of permafrost.

The founder of the science of permafrost M. I. Sumgin called this city the cradle of permafrost. Originally, however, the wells here rummaged not for scientific purposes, and to search for drinking water. In the XVII century from the area of Neryungri here come the Cossacks, who were faced with such a serious problem as the lack of year-round water sources due to the fact that permafrost was not possible to dig a well. Even if you manage to dig a well, water that gets into it immediately freezes.

Summer in 1828, Yakut merchant F. Shergin decided to dig a well in the yard of his house. Breakthrough the well to a depth of over 30 m Shergin in 1831 decided to stop further work as to get the water he couldn't. To continue the work he was convinced the Admiral F. P. Wrangel, promising the merchant of your financial aid. On different tiers dug wells were installed thermometers showing the temperature of the rocks. In 1837 Serginskiy the well reached a depth of more than 116 m. Soon the Emperor Nicholas I awarded the merchant's gold medal and gave him a diamond ring.

Spent on digging wells money Chargino and no one returned. Not having any money, he stopped all further work. The fate of Fyodor Alekseevich remained unknown. 40-ies of the XXth century the mine was used as a laboratory for the study of permafrost. In 1942, were held last measurement under the guidance of I. D. belokrylova.

Today the mine is included in the State list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of Yakutsk, which is under state protection as monuments of national importance.